Apparatus for assembling a slider on a fastener strip

ABSTRACT

A device for installing sliders over the edge of continuous rib and groove type plastic fastener members with the sliders having a back and sides projecting downwardly and spaced closer together at a closing end to join the rib and groove fastener members and spaced further apart at an opening end to permit separation of the fastener members with a leg on the back at the opening end of the slider, installing means for moving a slider from an engagement location spaced from the fastener members to an installed position with the sides of the slider straddling the fastener members and the leg between the fastener members, and including first means holding the fastener members separated at the opening end of the slider and second means holding the fastener members together at the closing end of the slider.

United States Patent Laguerre [541 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING A SLIDER ONA FASTENER STRIP Inventor: Leon Ker Laguerre Seine, France Boulogne-sur-Assignee: Minigrip, lnc., Orangeburg, N. Y.

Filed: Dec. 28, 1970 Appl. No 101,581

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 770,023,Oct.

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 12, 1970 France ..-....7000944U.S. Cl. ..29/207.5 SL Int. Cl. ..B23p 19/04 Field of Search....29/207.5SL, 207.5 R, 207.5

1 J ll Oct. 31, 1972 g References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,879,5883/1959 Morin .....29/207.5 SL I PrimaryExaminer-Thomas H; EagerAttorney-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson 57 ABSTRACT A device forinstalling sliders over the edge of continuous rib and groove typeplastic fastener members with the sliders having a back and sidesprojecting downwardly and spaced closer together at a closing end tojoin the rib and groove fastener members and spaced further apart at anopening end to permit separation of the fastener members with a leg onthe back at-the opening end of the slider, installing means for moving aslider from anengagement location spaced from the fastener members to aninstalled position with the sides of the slider straddling the fastenermembers and the leg between the fastener members, and including firstmeans holding the fastener members separated at the opening end of theslider and second means holding the fastener members together at theclosing end of the slider.

A 13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PKTENTED nm 3 1 I972 SHEET 1 [1F 2 I NVENTOR Leon 1%?! Z agaerre BY 2 K ATTORNEY PATENTED i973 3.701.191

sum 2 0F 2 30 W INVENTOR 10 A eon 5/ [09a erre ATTORNEY APPARATUS FORASSEMBLING A SLIDER ON A FASTENER STRIP The present application is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 770,023 filedOct. 23, 1968. i

The invention relates to positioning devices for sliders on closuresconstituted by interlockable profiled elements; it relates moreparticularly because it is in this case that its applicationseems tooffer most advantage, but not exclusively among these devices, to thoseintended for the positioning of sliders on closures of bags orpouches'in the course of manufacture from a folded sheet of plastic filmadvancing in intermittent manner, these closures being constituted bycomplementary profiled elements occurring at the edges of the sheet andcapable of interpenetration or of interlocking, but also of beingseparated, the said elements having been previously fixed to the edgesof the sheet in the form of strips or constituting integral parts of thesheet.

The improvements according to.the present invention supplement thosewhich have been disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,426,396 which isincorporated herein by reference disclosing the method of positioningsliders on profiled strip closures or on bags.

According to the patent, the slider positioning device comprises, aspacing member arranged in the direction of this movement of theprofiled elements which keeps the complementary profiled elements spacedfrom one another, coacting with guide members constituting a first clampadapted to immobilize the profiled elements on the spacer at the momentof positioning of the slider, and downstream of the spacing member, asecond clamp adapted to mutually interlock these profiled elements andto ensure their immobilization for their said positioning, and on theother hand, ar-

ranged between these two members, a pusher device for the positioning ofsliders on the said profiled elements perpendicularly to theirlongitudinal direction.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism forinstalling sliders by pressing them over the top edge of fastener stripsin a single improved operation.

The slider positioning device according to the invention is principallycharacterized by the fact that it comprises, mounted on a commonsupport, two clamps, the pusher device and a common movable actuatingmember connecting the closing and opening of the two clamps on theadvance and on the retreat respectively of the pusher, the assembly ofthese parts thus. constituting a single and compact apparatus.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention,the mobile actuating device is constituted by a shaft capable ofrotation around it axis and bearing, on the one hand, a cam cooperatingwith thevend of the pusher, especially by means of a small roller borneby this end to produce alternate movements of the pusher in thedirection of it axis against elastic return members, and on the otherhand, cams inserted between the arms of the first and second above-saidclamps, to cause the arms of these clamps to pivot around theirrespective pivoting points against theaction of elastic return members.

The invention will in any case be well understood by the aid of thesupplementary description which follows, as well as the accompanyingdrawings, which supplecording to a first embodiment of the invention,with grippers open and the pusher withdrawn.

FIG. 2 shows in front view the device of FIG. 1, the clamps being open.

FIG. 3 shows a section of the device of FIG. 1, along the line III-III,with the first clamp closed.

FIG. 4 shows a section of the device of FIG. 1, along the line IVIV,with the pusher advanced.

FIG. 5 shows a section of the device of FIG. 1, along the line V--V withthe second clamp closed.

According to the invention, in order to construct a slider positioningdevice on profiled strip closures, or on bags in the course ofmanufacture, procedure is as follows or in a similar manner.

First, as regards the manufacture of bags in general, it can beeffectedin known manner, for example from a folded sheet 1 (see FIG. 4 and 5) ofplastic film advancing in intermittent manner with respect to the device2 for positioning flexible sliders of the type of those described in theprincipal patent, and having, along its free edges 3, complementaryprofiled rib and groove elements 5, 5a of closures capable being closedby interlocking and borne by the inner surfaces of the two walls 6 a,6b, formed by the folded sheet. These closure elements can form part ofstrips fixed to the edges of the folded sheet or can be in a single partwith the sheet, which can then be obtained with the closure elements byextrusion. Preferably, before the positioning of sliders, the closureelements are interlocked and the tube 1 thus obtained is flattened.

The tube is guided and driven (in the direction of the arrow F),upstream of the device 2, by wheels 7, 7a and is directed downstream ofthe device 2 in the partially open and partially closed state towards acutting and welding apparatus (not shown) adapted to separate each bagfrom the rest of the tube and to form the lateraledgesof the said bag.

As regards the slider positioning device 2, shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, itcomprises on one hand, and arranged in the direction of the movement ofthe profiled closure elements:

a spacing member 8 which holds separated, or separates, from oneanother, the complementary profiled elements 5 and 5a and cooperateswith a guide device with movable jaws, adapted to form a first clamp 9,9a, of which the jaws or arms are arranged on both sides of the spacerand which in their clampingposition, immobilize these profiled elementsgripping their support on the spacer;

a second clamp 10, 10a which, in its closed position, cooperates withthe immobilization of the profiled elements 5, 5a, in ensuring theirpartial reinterlocking;

and a device 12 for positioning sliders on the closure elements by amovement perpendicular to the direction of these elements, thispositioning taking place between the two clamps 9, 9a and 10, 10a. Thisdevice includes a pusher l3 intended to engage a slider 14 (FIG. 4) onthe said profiled elements 5, 50 when they are immobilized by the clamps9, 9a and 10, 10a.

The separator member 8 is advantageously provided with two grooves 16,16a in which are housed respectively the closure elements 5, a of theflattened tube 1 which form projections or.ribs on the inner surface ofthis tube.

In this way the clamping which ensures the iminogrooves 17, 17a, whoseheight is selected so that this clamp whilst ensuring the interlockingof the complementary closure elements over a portion of their lengthwhich corresponds to the width of the clamp 10, exerts its finalpressure which ensures the immobilization of the closure elements on thewalls of their support l'outside the'said closure elements.

The pusher device 12 has advantageously included a channel 18 throughwhich the slider 14 to be engaged are introduced on one surface 19, oneby one facing the pusher 13 along a direction substantiallyperpendicular to the plane of the flattened tube 1 (FIG. 1 and 4).

Thus as it has been indicated in the principal patent and as shown inFIG. 4, the sliders 14, which are intended to slide astride the closureconstituted by the profiled complementary elements 5, 5a, borne by thewall 6, 6a, include a small plate 20 (FIG. 4) bearing, on one hand, twolateral walls 21, 21a bounding, on the inside of the slider a channelwith convergent walls to ensure the interlocking of the enclosureelements, and on the other hand, a median partition 22 extending over aportion of the length of the slider (perpendicularly to the plane ofFIG. 4 which shows the slider 14 in section), this partition forming awedge and ensuring the de-interlocking of the said closure elements.

, According to the invention, the spacer 8, the two clamps 9, 9a and 10,10a and the pusher device 12 are mounted on a common support 23, theclosing, then opening of the clamps 9, 9a and 10, .10a, in synchronismwith the advance, then the retreat of the pusher 13, being actuated bymeans of a common movable rotary cam shaft member 24, also mounted onthe common support 23, the assembly of these parts thus constituting asingle and compact apparatus. In addition, the width of the spacer andthe distance between the latter and the second clamp 10, 10a aredetermined so that the closure elements form between themselves, in theinterval between the spacer and the second clamp when the latter isclamped, an angle which corresponds to the angle of the walls of theabove-said channel inside the slider.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the above-said movableshaft member 24 is advantageously constituted by shaft bearing cams 26,27 and 28 adapted to act respectively against the action of elasticreturn members 29, 30 and 31 on the clamps 9, 9a and 10, 10a and on thepusher 13.

The clamps 19, 19a and 10, 10a are hinged at 32, 32a

. and 33, 33a respectively, symmetrically with respect to the plane ofthe flattened tube 1, on the support 23 which is arranged transversallyto the said flattened tube 1 and the shaft 24, borne by this support 23,and arranged between the said clamps 9, 9a and 10, 10a.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the cams 26 and 27 and the elastic returnmembers 29 and 30 (constituted by springs) are respectively arrangedbetween the branches of the clamps 9, 9a and 10, 10a on both sidesrespectively of the hinges 32, 32a and 33, 33a of these branches on thesupport 23.

In the example of the slider positioning apparatus illustr ated, thereturn members 29 and 30 of the clamps are arranged so that they act inthe direction of opening of the said clamps but it is evident that inreversing the positions of the cams 26, 27 and of the return members 29,30 withrespect to the above-said hinges, it would be possible to arrangethat the return members 29 and 30 act in the direction of closure of theclamps;

The pusher 13 (FIG. 4) is guided by the support 23 so that it can slidein a direction transverse with respect to the edge 3 of the flattenedtube 1. The corresponding elastic return member 31 is constituted by aspring interposed between the support 8 and a collar 34 borne by thepusher 13.

This pusher 13 is supported against the cam 28 by means of a roller 36.

The cams 26, 27 and 28 advantageously have shaped such that the closing,then the opening of the clamps 9, 9a and 10, 10a, on one hand, and theadvance, and then the retreat of the pusher 13, on the other hand, arerespectively caused by rotations in reverse directions of the shaft 24between two predetermined angular positions (which positions aresubstantially separated by 90 in the example selected), the same shaft24 effecting these rotations under the action of a jack 37 borne by thesupport 23 and placed in operation when the tube 1 is immobile, througha rack 38 by the same jack 37 and driving a pinion 39 borne by the sameshaft 24. The jack 37 can, for example, be actuated by a fluid underpressurerespectively introduced and evacuated through channels 41 and42. I

As result, there is obtained a particularly simple apparatus forensuring the automatic actuation by the grippers 9, 9a and 10, 10a onone hand, and of the pusher 13 of the sliders,.and on the other hand,for example, in synchronism with welding electrodes (not shown) whichweld and cut the tube 1 transversally at the places where it has beenclosed by the clamp 10 or in synchronism with automatic control devices(not shown either) of the intermittent-advance of this tube, whichapparatus can then act in the following manner:

When. the tube 1 advances, the jack 37 holds the shaft 24 in such aposition that the clamps 9, 9a and 10, 10a are open and that the pusher13 is withdrawn into the position shown in FIG. 1. The distance betweenthe active ends of the clamps 10, 10a is then sufficient to enable thepassage of the profiled elements 5, 5a with a slide 14 engaged on them.

At the same time, a slider 14 has arrived through the channel 18 on thesurface 19, formed on a ledge of the support 23, in a position for whichthe lateral walls 21,

I 21a and the median partition 22 of the slider are directed towards thetube 1.,

Then, the jack 37 communicates to the shaft 24 a rotation such that theclamps 9, 9a and 10, 10a close thereby immobilizing firmly thecomplementary elements 5, 5a, whilst the'pusher 13 effects its advanceand engages by elastic deformation the slider 14 on the elements 5, 5aof the closure formed on the tube 1 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5). A furtherintermittent movement of the tube 1 is preceded by a further rotation ofof the shaft 24, in opposite direction caused by the jack and whichresults in the opening of ,the grippers 9, 9a and 10, 10a (the latterthen allowing the slider to pass engaged on elements 5, 5a) and thewithdrawal of the pusher 13.

Thus, whatever the embodiment employed, there is obtained an apparatuswhose operation can be ensured automatically, especially by the singlejack 37.

As it is evident and as it results from the preceding description, theinvention is in no way limited to those of its methods of application,nor to those of the methods of construction of its various parts, whichhave been more especially considered; it embraces on the contrary allvariations.

Iclaim:

1. A device for the positioning of sliders on closures constituted byinterlockable profiled elements which advance in intermittent mannerwith respect to the said device which includes,

a spacing member arranged in the direction of movement of the profiledclosure elements maintaining the profiled elements spaced from oneanother,

a first clamp adapted to immobilize the elements on the spacer, a secondclamp adapted to interlock the elements and to immobilize them,

a pusher between the two clamps and capable of engaging the slider onthese profiled elements in a direction perpendicular to theirlongitudinal direction,

and a movable actuating member operating the pusher and opening andclosing the two clamps on the advance and on the withdrawal respectivelyof the pusher.

2. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that themovable actuating member is constituted by a shaft capable of undergoingrotation around its axis and bearing, a cam cooperating with the end ofthe pusher to produce alternate movements of the pusher in the directionof its axis against elastic return members, and cams inserted betweenthe arms of the first and second above-mentioned clamps to cause thearms of these clamps to pivot around their respective hinge pointsagainst the action of elastic return members.

3. A device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact thatthe elastic return members of the clamps are arranged so that they actin the direction of the opening of the said clamps.

4. A device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized by the fact that theelastic return members of the clamps are arranged so that they act inthe direction of the closure of the said clamps.

5. A device according to claim 2 characterized by the fact that theclamps have profiles such that the closing and then the opening of theclamps, on one hand, and the advance then the retreat of the pusher, onthe other hand, are respectively caused by rotations in reverseddirection of the shaft between two predetermined angular positions. I

6. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that themovement of the movable members are phase-locked to the means ofintermittent advance of the support of the closure elements.

7. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that thewidth of the spacer and the distance between the latter and the'clamparranged downstream of the spacer are selected so that the angle formedby the closure elements between this spacer and the said clamp, when it.is closed, corresponds to the angle I which the convergent walls of thechannel form in a slider which walls as a result of the movement of theslider along the closure elements, ensure their interlocking.

8. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that in thespacer and on both sides of the latter, there are arranged groovesintended to receive the closure elements, the depth of these groovesbeing such that immobilization of the closure elements is obtainedespecially by the gripping of the portions of the support of the saidelements which occur laterally to the latter.

9. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the armsof the clamp arranged downstream of the spacer include grooves whoseheight is selected so that this clamp, whilst ensuring the interlockingof the complementary closure elements, exerts its final pressure whichensures the immobilization of the closure elements especially on thewall of the support of these closure elements outside of the latter.

10. A mechanism for installing sliders over the edge of continuous riband groove type plastic fastener members, the sliders having a back withsides projecting downwardly from the back and with the sides spacedclose together at a closing end to press the rib and groove elementstogether and being separated at an opening end to permit separation ofthe rib and groove elements with a center leg projecting downwardly fromthe back between the sides at the opening end, the mechanism comprising,

installing means for moving a slider from an engagement location spacedfrom the edge of the fastener members to an installed position with thesides of the slider straddling the fastener members and the leg betweenthe fastener members,

first means holding the fastener members separated at the open end ofthe slider, and second means holding the fastener members together atthe closing end of the slider so that the closing end of the slidermoves over fastener members which are together and the opening end ofthe slider moves over fastener members which are separated.

11. A mechanism for installing sliders constructed in accordance withclaim 10 and including a power operator connected to said installingmeans and to said first and second means and operating said first andsecond means and operating said first and second means and thereafteroperating said installing means in timed sequence.

12. A mechanism for installing sliders constructed in accordance withclaim 10 wherein said. first means includes a clamp for pressing thefastener members together and the second means includes a memberinsertable between the fastener members and a clamp for pressing thefastener members against said insertable member.

13. A mechanism for installing sliders over the edge of continuous riband groove plastic fastener members, the sliders having a back withsides projecting downwardly from the back and with the sides spacedclose together at a closing end to press the rib and groove elementstogether and being separated at an opening end to permit separation ofthe rib and groove means holding the strips apart with the profileseparated at another location adjacent to the opening end of the slider,

means assembling the slider in a direction transversely of the extent ofthe strips by pressing the finger between the strips and pressing thewalls edgewise over the strips,

said slider walls and strips relatively yielding as the slider ispressed into place.

1. A device for the positioning of sliders on closures constituted byinterlockable profiled elements which advance in intermittent mannerwith respect to the said device which includes, a spacing memberarranged in the direction of movement of the profiled closure elementsmaintaining the profiled elements spaced from one another, a first clampadapted to immobilize the elements on the spacer, a second clamp adaptedto interlOck the elements and to immobilize them, a pusher between thetwo clamps and capable of engaging the slider on these profiled elementsin a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, and amovable actuating member operating the pusher and opening and closingthe two clamps on the advance and on the withdrawal respectively of thepusher.
 2. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact thatthe movable actuating member is constituted by a shaft capable ofundergoing rotation around its axis and bearing, a cam cooperating withthe end of the pusher to produce alternate movements of the pusher inthe direction of its axis against elastic return members, and camsinserted between the arms of the first and second above-mentioned clampsto cause the arms of these clamps to pivot around their respective hingepoints against the action of elastic return members.
 3. A deviceaccording to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that the elasticreturn members of the clamps are arranged so that they act in thedirection of the opening of the said clamps.
 4. A device according toclaim 1 or 2 characterized by the fact that the elastic return membersof the clamps are arranged so that they act in the direction of theclosure of the said clamps.
 5. A device according to claim 2characterized by the fact that the clamps have profiles such that theclosing and then the opening of the clamps, on one hand, and the advancethen the retreat of the pusher, on the other hand, are respectivelycaused by rotations in reversed direction of the shaft between twopredetermined angular positions.
 6. A device according to claim 1characterized by the fact that the movement of the movable members arephase-locked to the means of intermittent advance of the support of theclosure elements.
 7. A device according to claim 1 characterized by thefact that the width of the spacer and the distance between the latterand the clamp arranged downstream of the spacer are selected so that theangle formed by the closure elements between this spacer and the saidclamp, when it is closed, corresponds to the angle which the convergentwalls of the channel form in a slider which walls as a result of themovement of the slider along the closure elements, ensure theirinterlocking.
 8. A device according to claim 1 characterized by the factthat in the spacer and on both sides of the latter, there are arrangedgrooves intended to receive the closure elements, the depth of thesegrooves being such that immobilization of the closure elements isobtained especially by the gripping of the portions of the support ofthe said elements which occur laterally to the latter.
 9. A deviceaccording to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the arms of theclamp arranged downstream of the spacer include grooves whose height isselected so that this clamp, whilst ensuring the interlocking of thecomplementary closure elements, exerts its final pressure which ensuresthe immobilization of the closure elements especially on the wall of thesupport of these closure elements outside of the latter.
 10. A mechanismfor installing sliders over the edge of continuous rib and groove typeplastic fastener members, the sliders having a back with sidesprojecting downwardly from the back and with the sides spaced closetogether at a closing end to press the rib and groove elements togetherand being separated at an opening end to permit separation of the riband groove elements with a center leg projecting downwardly from theback between the sides at the opening end, the mechanism comprising,installing means for moving a slider from an engagement location spacedfrom the edge of the fastener members to an installed position with thesides of the slider straddling the fastener members and the leg betweenthe fastener members, first means holding the fastener members separatedat the open end of the slider, and second means holding the fastenermembers together at the closing end of the slider so that the closingend of the slider moves over fastener members which are together and theopening end of the slider moves over fastener members which areseparated.
 11. A mechanism for installing sliders constructed inaccordance with claim 10 and including a power operator connected tosaid installing means and to said first and second means and operatingsaid first and second means and operating said first and second meansand thereafter operating said installing means in timed sequence.
 12. Amechanism for installing sliders constructed in accordance with claim 10wherein said first means includes a clamp for pressing the fastenermembers together and the second means includes a member insertablebetween the fastener members and a clamp for pressing the fastenermembers against said insertable member.
 13. A mechanism for installingsliders over the edge of continuous rib and groove plastic fastenermembers, the sliders having a back with sides projecting downwardly fromthe back and with the sides spaced close together at a closing end topress the rib and groove elements together and being separated at anopening end to permit separation of the rib and groove elements with acenter leg projecting downwardly from the back between the sides at theopening end, the mechanism comprising, means placing the strips inalignment so that they can be joined, means locating the slider abovethe strips for assembly on the strips, means pressing the stripstogether so that the profiles are interlocked at a location adjacent tothe closing end of the slider, means holding the strips apart with theprofile separated at another location adjacent to the opening end of theslider, means assembling the slider in a direction transversely of theextent of the strips by pressing the finger between the strips andpressing the walls edgewise over the strips, said slider walls andstrips relatively yielding as the slider is pressed into place.